How to rebuild muscle: The interactions between macrophages, fibroblasts, and muscle stem cells are required for muscle regeneration

11/8/2012 |
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Location: Druckenmiller Hall, Room 020

Event Type: Seminar

Sponsor: Biology

Contact: Julie Santorella

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Open to the Bowdoin Community
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Alex (Smith) Keefe, 06, University of Utah, MD/PhD Program

I am studying the role of muscle stem cells during regeneration. Specifically I am looking at the interactions of 3 cell types during the regenerative process: the satellite cell (the stem cell), fibroblasts and macrophages. We believe these cells are signaling between each other via the Wnt/b-catenin pathway in order to proliferate and differentiate to form a fully regenerated muscle after injury. Using mouse genetics, we can eliminate Wnt secretion (by knocking out a necessary secretion protein) from certain cell types (using a cell specific cre driver), and also prevent Wnt reception in the receiving cell by knocking out the Wnt receptor. We have shown that this disruption of Wnt signaling leads to impaired muscle regeneration. Wnt signaling in muscle is known to be disrupted with age, and perhaps is leading to diseases such as sarcopenia and cachexia.